This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
As will be appreciated, oil and natural gas have a profound effect on modern economies and societies. In order to meet the demand for such natural resources, numerous companies invest significant amounts of time and money in searching for and extracting oil, natural gas, and other subterranean resources from the earth. Particularly, once a desired resource is discovered below the surface of the earth, drilling and production systems are employed to access and extract the resource. These systems can be located onshore or offshore depending on the location of a desired resource. Further, such systems generally include a wellhead assembly that is used to extract the resource. These wellhead assemblies include a wide variety of components and/or conduits, such as various control lines, casings, valves, and the like, that are conducive to drilling and/or extraction operations. In drilling and extraction operations, in addition to wellheads, various components and tools are employed to provide for drilling, completion, and the production of mineral resources. For instance, during drilling and extraction operations seals and valves are often employed to regulate pressures and/or fluid flow.
A wellhead system often includes a tubing hanger or casing hanger that is disposed within the wellhead assembly and configured to secure tubing and casing suspended in the well bore. In addition, the hanger generally regulates pressures and provides a path for hydraulic control fluid, chemical injections, or the like to be passed through the wellhead and into the well bore. In such a system, a back pressure valve is often disposed in the hanger bore and/or a similar bore of the wellhead. The back pressure valve plugs the bore to block pressures of the well bore from manifesting through the wellhead.
Typically, the back pressure valve is provided separately from the hanger, and is installed after the hanger has been landed in the wellhead assembly. In other words, the hanger is run down to the wellhead, followed by the installation of the back pressure valve. One resulting challenge includes installing the back pressure valve into the hanger bore in context of high pressures in the bore. Accordingly, installation of the back pressure valve may include the use of several tools and a sequence of procedures to set and lock the seal. Unfortunately, each of the sequential running procedures may consume a significant amount of time and money. Further, securing the back pressure valve generally includes complementary engagement features in the bore itself. The bore typically includes shoulders, grooves, notches, or similar features that are engaged by portions of the back pressure valve. Thus, the design of the bore is configured to accommodate a specific back pressure valve design. Typically, the back pressure valve and bore are designed specifically for use with one another, thereby, adding yet another level of complexity to the overall design of the wellhead.